


Remote Work for the Modern Vigilante

by lowflyingfruit



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23293984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowflyingfruit/pseuds/lowflyingfruit
Summary: Vigilantism is a family business which stays open.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 262





	Remote Work for the Modern Vigilante

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for potential triggers: current events. If you're trying to avoid current events through fandom, proceed with caution.
> 
> Short fic written as stress relief. Posted in the hope it might help someone else too.

_“_ And what _,”_ Damian asked _, “_ is the point of vigilantism if we do not break a few rules?”

The question was addressed to the room at large. And to Jason, who had set up a video link so they could see him working. A kindness to his older brother, Bruce suspected, or perhaps just a surrender to same. Bruce was glad. He did worry about Jason.

“It’s a public health measure, Dami,” Dick said. “We’re only breaking rules for the greater good here.”

“Which potentially transmitting diseases across Gotham is not,” Tim said.

“I know it’s frustrating, but we just have to deal with it for the moment. There are still things we can do, right? I know Tim’s got a few cases going.”

Bruce frowned down at his workbench. He had plenty of drones, but they would need to be a little more robust for what he had in mind. That, of course, threw out flight calculations. He couldn’t have them wobbling in the air like that, nor easily caught, nor falling out of the sky and potentially onto a random Gothamite’s head. However few were on the streets.

“It’s ridiculous,” Damian continued to fume. “Criminals are the exact people who will not abide by these quarantine rules.”

“Which is why I’m helping Alf redesign our masks,” Dick soothed. “Just in case - “

“Not seeing the problem,” Jason said, not looking up but casually angling the full-face red hood itself to the camera.

“- we do find a situation which justifies us going out,” Dick finished.

“I wonder if Bruce could lean on the Commissioner to get us classified essential services,” Jason mused.

“Only if you start selling gas or cold medicine,” Tim said. “Otherwise no public servant in their right mind would call _you_ an essential service.”

Maybe if he trimmed down the casing? There was only so much he could do that, and it had to remain balanced. A lighter weight projector was out of the question; it wouldn’t focus otherwise.

“Laugh it up, big game hunter. What is it tonight, toilet paper again?”

“It’s an essential service,” Tim replied, deadpan. “Besides, I’m also tracking down people hoarding pasta and rice. Have a look.”

Jason whistled. Presumably Tim had shared a file. “Prices are going up.”

No, this casing wouldn’t do at all. Maybe the alloy? There was only so far he could tamper with the shape. He’d have to start exchanging materials. Not too flimsy, though, because Gotham was still Gotham. He couldn’t forget that he’d have to compensate for the wind tunneling through the buildings.

“Is the Penguin involved?” Damian demanded. “Black Mask?”

“Black Mask has got his hands on a delivery truck full of cold and flu tablets, and the GCPD are working on it,” Tim said, “but no, this is just someone who bought out a supermarket’s worth of toilet paper and is flogging it on ebay.”

“So we should do something about it!” Damian said. Out of the corner of his eye, Bruce could see him pacing restlessly. Bruce worried about him, too. Damian was the sort of person who needed an outlet. Usually a more physical one.

“Way ahead of you,” Tim said. “I’ve alerted the regulators and hacked his bank accounts. They should be able to return the goods and process the refund when they catch up with him.” Tim, unlike his brothers, appeared to be going well. Switching to remote vigilantism hadn’t slowed him down much. If at all. He and Barbara had been relentless at tracking down the digital traces of crimes going on.

“That’s it?” Damian demanded. “This man, whoever he is, is profiteering. He should be punished.”

There. That was about ready. For testing, anyway. Bruce set the drone on the ground and started checking through the controls. Responsiveness seemed okay.

“I’m with Damian on this one,” Jason said. “Shithead’s trying to get rich when people just want to maintain basic hygiene. Maybe get some carbs.”

Dick looked up from his own work and asked, “Name and shame? Get his picture to every supermarket in a hundred miles?”

“Perfect,” Jason said. Bruce caught the flash of teeth from his screen. “I love questionable vigilante ethics. Without breaking quarantine. I’ll do that.”

“Find me another profiteer, Drake,” Damian demanded. “I wish to do something useful.”

“Find your own profiteers,” Tim replied.

“What’ve you got there, Bruce?” Dick asked suddenly.

The drone lifted off perfectly and stayed aloft, humming gently. Bruce flicked a switch and yellow light beamed from the projector in the shape of a bat. “I can alert the police through this,” he said. “More than that. Gotham will know that we’re still here.”

Dick watched Bruce put the drone through its paces for a few seconds. “They’ll know someone’s watching out for them.”

“Yes,” Bruce said. “We’ve still got plenty to do.”


End file.
